MEN'S BASKETBALL: Eagles lose regionals
By Class Coss
IV Leader Staff
The men's basketball team's season came to an end Feb. 26 compliments of a lopsided 110-76 losing effort to Elgin Community College in Region IV play.
The blowout score was a major distress to head coach Mike Riley, who criticized the officiating.
"I have never been so disappointed in the way in which a game was played," Riley said. ". The officials obviously had different interpretations of the rules. It felt like 'ju-co' ball from the 60s and 70s. The way the Chicago schools were treated was unbelievable.
We were unable to play our style of basketball. It's just very difficult to be successful when you cannot establish some kind of momentum, and it's sad to see because these kids worked so hard. There was just no way that we were going to walk out of that gym with a win."
Riley also criticized the set up of the regional tournament. IVCC had a better overall, region and head-to-head record than Elgin but was seeded lower and had to give up home court advantage to Elgin.
The Elgin Spartans, who went into the tournament with an 11-19 record were the eighth seed. The Eagles, who had a 13 - 16 record, were seeded ninth.
Despite the bitter loss, the Eagles finished their season with a 14-17 overall record, after having a tough second half. According to the coach, IVCC lost 45 points a game to injury and ineligibility for the spring semester. Kendall Hurns, Steve Sawyers and Chad Tungate were academically ineligible at the start of the spring semester.
Riley said he hoped to avoid losing key players, especially to ineligibility, and he anticipates a bright future for the men's hoops team.
"We ended up being very young, with (Jeremy) Jones, (Terrance) Gladney, (Lee) Moran, (Mike) Kimbrough and (Kurt) Kearfott, all who are freshman that filled key roles down the stretch," the coach said.
"April 8 is the signing date, and I think we have the potential to sign some good basketball players who are great students as well. These are the things we are shooting for."